July 17, 2008
Contact: Charles Mutscheller

“Working closely with Openlands, we spent over two years creating this plan, which maps out protected and potential open space in 41 municipalities throughout Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties,” explains NIRPC Board Chairman and Whiting, Indiana, Mayor Joseph M. Stahura. “The result is a comprehensive vision for an extensive system of land and water corridors, or greenways and blueways, in the area.”

Healthy greenways and blueways offer a wealth of public benefits: protecting natural and cultural resources, providing private or public recreational opportunities, improving and sustaining hydrological functions, and enhancing the natural beauty and the quality of life in neighborhoods and communities.

“Beyond providing a blueprint for the future, the plan is a call to action for government entities, advocacy groups, and local residents alike,” states Jerry Adelmann, executive director of Openlands, a leader in regional land and water conservation efforts, based in Chicago. “What is extraordinary about this plan is that ArcelorMittal has already made it possible for us to begin working to implement the recommendations immediately.”

Through a three-year commitment, in which $75,000 was allocated in year one, ArcelorMittal will partner with NIRPC and Openlands to move the blueways component of the plan from planning to implementation, developing water trails for paddlers on the Lake Michigan shoreline and along the Little Calumet and Kankakee rivers.

“Not only does water play a critical role in the steelmaking process at ArcelorMittal, but our employees and communities rely on local water sources for health and recreational purposes,” says Bill Steers, president, ArcelorMittal USA Foundation. “ArcelorMittal is proud to partner with Openlands and the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission in their efforts to create a blueways plan that will make our region’s waterways navigable and sustainable while improving the quality of life for the region.”

The plan emphasizes the importance of mobilizing private property owners, who can fill gaps between existing protected spaces and create linear continuity in land and water-based passageways. This provides an opportunity to reduce fragmentation of wildlife habitat and enhance stream quality, among other positive outcomes.

According to NIRPC Executive Director John Swanson, “The plan has already added value to other major initiatives in our region, including integration into the Marquette Plan, which has an overall vision to open up 75% of the lakefront to public access.”

Funding for the Northwest Indiana Regional Greenways and Blueways Plan was provided by a generous grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. The implementation of this plan, over a three year schedule, is funded by ArcelorMittal.

An electronic version of the Northwest Indiana Regional Greenways and Blueways Plan can be downloaded from http://www.nirpc.org/OldNirpc/Greenway%20and%20Blueway.htm.

NIRPC is a regional council of local governments serving the three counties of northwest Indiana. The northwest Indiana region is an integral part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. NIRPC provides a forum that enables the citizens of northwest Indiana to address regional issues relating to transportation, the environment and community and economic development. For more information, please visit www.NIRPC.org.

Openlands is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the natural and open spaces of northeastern Illinois and the surrounding region to ensure cleaner air and water, protect natural habitats and wildlife, and help balance and enrich our lives. Founded in 1963, Openlands is one of the nation's oldest and most successful metropolitan conservation organizations, having helped secure and protect more than 55,000 acres of land for public parks, forest preserves, land and water greenway corridors, and urban gardens. For more information, please visit www.openlands.org.

The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation fosters the conservation and stewardship of land in a natural condition. The Calumet region is a focus for foundation funding. For more information, please visit www.gddf.org.

The ArcelorMittal USA Foundation makes grants in three primary focus areas: education, environment, and healthy and safe communities. In 2007, the foundation provided about $5 million in grants. The Foundation supports those communities in which its employees live and its business and clients operate.